Founded by George Smith in the early 19th century, The Glenlivet is the oldest licensed Single malt Scotch Whisky. The Glenlivet is synonymous for excellence, a reference in the whisky market. Today, two centuries later, The Glenlivet still embodies George Smith’s pioneering and forward-thinking spirit. A whisky that respects tradition with a thirst for progress.

Though already legendary in name and quality, The Glenlivet sought to iconize the brand even more by firmly installing brand recognition in the minds of its consumers through colour (the Tiffany-effect) and symbol. Chic was asked to revamp the brands identity, building on existing brand assets but elevating it to iconic status with a fresh and original perspective.

First exercise was identifying and solidifying a brand colour and – even more important - its usage. Going back to the roots of the brand, we identified a teal colour inspired by the Livet River the source of The Glenlivet. A graphic wavy texture is added to the colour, both spontaneous and controlled and representing the brands dynamic and forward-thinking spirit. By setting rules on consistent usage of this Masterbrand Teal, we successfully created a colour-recognizable brand that rightfully takes its place among other premium and luxury brands that own their own colour. To top this off we balanced the product colours to the Masterbrand Teal, creating a secondary palette that embodies the brands Scottish essence.

Second exercise was the creation of a signifier. The objective was to identify an icon that can live next to The Glenlivet wordmark without cannibalizing the logo. As The Glenlivet never had a signifier, finding or creating something that links back to the roots of the brand would not be credible. We created the Brand Stamp. It’s traditional construction, layered with contemporary graphic elements, personifies the brand’s subtle duality-character. The stamp is a true identifier, able to convey the brand’s unique narrative. It combines the effortlessly smooth flowing movement of the River Livet with a strong monogram, representing George Smith’s pioneering spirit and the brand’s Scottish Essence.

Final exercise was to create a brandbook and guidelines document, clearly explaining the brand’s strategic position, and with user rules that leave little to interpretation in order to guarantee a strong and consistent global brand. This includes not only rules for brand assets but also examples on how to use it in both digital and print situations as well as retail/trade (last 3 feet) and merchandise, thus elevating the brand to a true whisky experience and lietyle brand level.